Method of studying an isolated audio track from an original, multi-track recording using variable gain control

• US 8,319,084 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2011
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jammit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jammit, Inc.
• Inventors: Humphrey, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Qin, Jianchun
• Application Number:
  US13/115,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20110252945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 844/70.R, 846/15
• US Class Current: 84/470.R
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/00 Teaching music metronomes G04F5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0041 in coded form
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/056 for extraction or identification of individual instrumental parts, e.g. melody, chords, bass; Identification or separation of instrumental parts by their characteristic voices or timbres
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/061 for extraction of musical phrases, isolation of musically relevant segments, e.g. musical thumbnail generation, or for temporal structure analysis of a musical piece, e.g. determination of the movement sequence of a musical work
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/385 Speed change, i.e. variations from preestablished tempo, tempo change, e.g. faster or slower, accelerando or ritardando, without change in pitch with repetitive changes in pitch, e.g. scratch DJ effects G10H2210/241
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/015 Musical staff, tablature or score displays, e.g. for score reading during a performance. graphical musical score editing G10H2220/121; musical score displays resulting from a transcription G10H2210/086
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/091 Graphical user interface [GUI] specifically adapted for electrophonic musical instruments, e.g. interactive musical displays, musical instrument icons or menus; Details of user interactions therewith GUI in general G06F3/048
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/135 Musical aspects of games or videogames; Musical instrument-shaped game input interfaces game background music G10H2210/026; musical game scoring or performance evaluation G10H2210/091
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/005 Data structures for use in electrophonic musical devices; Data structures including musical parameters derived from musical analysis audio retrieval G06F16/60

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for learning music through an educational audio track embodied on a computer readable medium are presented. The system can comprise have components including a processor, an input device, a database, a transformation module, an emulation recording module, an integration engine, an output module, and an output device, wherein each component is operable in itself to perform it'"'"'s function in the system and operable with other system components to provide a system to a user for learning music.

Claims

1. A method of separating and mixing tracks within an pre-recorded, multi-track recording, the method comprising:

obtaining audio files including a multi-track digital audio file of a preselected piece of music having

(i) an isolated instrument audio track containing only audio from the isolated instrument; and

,

(ii) an emulation audio track consisting of the multi-track digital audio file having the isolated instrument audio track removed; and

,

transforming the multi-track digital audio file to include a variable gain ratio to mix any of a variety of ratios of volumes between (i) the isolated instrument audio track and (ii) an emulation audio track to assist the user in studying the isolated instrument audio track, the gain selection in each of the tracks being one of at least three settings that range from a minimum to a maximum;

wherein, the method provides the user with the tools to separate and mix one or more audio tracks within the pre-recorded, multi-track recording.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

emulating the isolated instrument audio track with a preselected musical instrument;

recording the emulated instrument audio track on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium;

combining the emulated instrument audio track with the isolated instrument audio track, the emulation audio track, or a combination thereof, to transform the multi-track digital audio file into the educational audio file;

listening to the educational audio track; and

,

repeating the emulating, recording, combining, and listening until the isolated instrument audio track has been studied on the preselected musical instrument to a user'"'"'s satisfaction.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the obtaining and transforming are performed using a handheld device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the device is a cellular device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the device is a handheld video gaming console.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a tempo map of the pre-recorded, multi-track recording.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises selecting one or more bars of the isolated instrument audio track to enable the user to focus on emulating a section of the preselected piece of music.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising emulating the isolated instrument audio track with a preselected musical instrument;

wherein,

the emulating includes viewing music transcription and tablature data on a graphical user interface that displays a looping page showing a bar or bars of the preselected piece of music for repeated playback;

the bar or bars are selected by a user for the repeated playback through a transport state selection, the transport state selection indicating a position in the piece of music according to the tempo map.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the transport state selection includes tempo speed control.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the studying includes viewing music transcription and tablature data on a graphical user interface.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-track digital audio file is an original, multi-track recording.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining includes exchanging data with an external non-transitory computer readable storage media.

13. A method of providing a user with an opportunity to study music, comprising:

making a custom audio file accessible to a user, the custom audio file including a multi-track digital audio file of a preselected piece of music having

(i) an isolated instrument audio track containing only audio from the isolated instrument; and

,

(ii) an emulation audio track consisting of the multi-track digital audio file having the isolated instrument audio track removed; and

,

making a system accessible to the user, the system operable to allow a user to

transform the multi-track digital audio file by selecting a variable gain ratio to separate and/or mix any of a variety of ratios of volumes between (i) the isolated instrument audio track and (ii) the emulation audio track, the gain selection in each of the tracks being one of at least three settings; and

,

study the isolated instrument audio track during the separating and/or mixing;

wherein, the method provides the user with the tools to study one or more audio tracks within the pre-recorded, multi-track recording.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

including in the system operability for the user to

record an emulated instrument audio track on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium;

combine the emulated instrument audio track with the isolated instrument audio track, the emulation audio track, or a combination thereof, to transform the multi-track digital audio file into the educational audio file;

listen to the educational audio track; and

,

repeat the recording, combining, and listening until the user has studied the isolated instrument audio track on the preselected musical instrument to the user'"'"'s satisfaction.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the studying can be performed using a handheld device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the device is a cellular device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the device is a handheld video gaming console.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the multi-track digital audio file of the preselected piece of music is an original, multi-track recording.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing the user with a tempo map of the pre-recorded, multi-track recording, the tempo map providing a means for selecting one or more bars of the isolated instrument audio track to enable the user to focus on a section of the preselected piece of music.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the studying includes viewing music transcription and tablature data on a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface displaying a looping page showing a bar or bars of the preselected piece of music for repeated playback, wherein the bar or bars are selected by the user for the repeated playback through a transport state selection, the transport state selection indicating a position in the piece of music according to the tempo map.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the obtaining includes exchanging data with an external non-transitory computer readable storage media.

22. A method of creating a system that allows users to isolate all, or a portion of, a single track within a pre-recorded, multi-track recording, the method comprising designing an audio transformation component for creating a variety of ratios of volumes between (i) an isolated instrument audio track and (ii) an emulation audio track consisting of the multi-track recording having the isolated instrument audio track removed;

wherein, each of the tracks have at least three volume settings that range from a minimum to a maximum.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising creating a tempo map of the pre-recorded, multi-track recording.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising providing a graphical interface for viewing music transcription and tablature data, wherein the music transcription and tablature data is synchronized to the pre-recorded, multi-track recording through the tempo map.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing a graphical interface for viewing music transcription and tablature data.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the multi-track recording is an original, multi-track recording.

27. A method for creating a handheld device for separating and mixing tracks within a prerecorded, multi-track recording, the method comprising:

assembling a processor;

a memory, a transformation module, and a transport state selector in an operable configuration that includes a display of audio information on a graphical user interface;

wherein,

the memory is embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium for receiving a prerecorded, multi-track recording having

(i) an isolated instrument audio track; and

,

(ii) an emulation audio track consisting of the multi-track digital audio file having the isolated instrument audio track removed;

the transport state selector is operable to allow a user to select an isolated beat, bar or bars of the prerecorded, multi-track recording, the transport state selection indicating a location in the piece of music according to a tempo map, the graphical user interface displaying a looping page showing a beat, bar or bars of the isolated instrument audio track for repeated playback;

the transformation module is embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, wherein the transformation module is operable by the user to select a variable gain ratio to separate and/or mix any of a variety of ratios of volumes between (i) the isolated instrument audio track and (ii) the emulation audio track to assist the user in studying the isolated instrument audio track, the gain selection in each of the tracks being one of at least three settings between a minimum setting and a maximum setting; and

,

the method provides the user with a handheld device having the tools to study one or more audio tracks within the prerecorded, multi-track recording.